Improvement in car-couplings



A. FRITZ.

Car -Couplings.

Patented March 25, 1873.

AM PHDTO-LITHOGRA PHIL ca MK (aasumvsfs mncEss) PATENT OFFICE.

'ADAMPRITZ, on DAYTON, 01110.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,238, dated March 25, 1873.-

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ADAM Pnr'rz, of Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and in the State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Coupling; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing making'a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved coupling with a link engaged therewith. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same, upon a line extending from front to rear. Figs-3 and 4-are like views, showing, respectively, the coupling-pin set so as to permit the link to be withdrawn, and in position to permit said link to be inserted; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of said coupling-pin detached from the draw-head.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

My invention is an improvement upon a car-coupling for which Letters Patent No. 103,207 were granted to N. E. Leaman, upon the 17th day of May, 1870; and it consists in the peculiar shape ofthe coupling-pin, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

In the annexed drawing, A represents a draw-head, having the usual bell-mouthed form, and provided at its rear end with suitable means for connecting it to or with the draw-bar. The link-opening B decreases in height from front to its rear end, until, at the latter point, its dimensions are but slightly greater than the thickness of a link, so that when the same is placed therein it will be sustained in a horizontal position. Extending vertically downward through the drawhead A, at its transverse center, is a longitudinal slot, 0, which, within the upper half of said head, extends nearly to its ends, while, within the lower half of the same, said slot has but one-half the length of its upper portion. Passing downward through the slot 0 is a coupling-cam or pin, D, which has the exterior form shown, its rear side being vertical from near its upper end to a point near its lower end, from whence it extends downward and forward in a curve to a point near its front side; from thence vertically upward for about one inch, so as to form a shoulder, d,- from thence outward, upward, and then rearward, forming an inclined lip, d,- from whence the line extends vertically upward for a short distance, and thence upward, rearward, and downward in a curve; Secured to the front side and upper end of the coupling-pin D is a transverse bar, E, which has the form in crosssection shown in Fig. 2, and, extending laterally outward over the solid port-ion of the draw-head, furnishes a partial support for said pin. A further support for said pin is furnished by a round bar, F, which is secured upon the rear upper corner of the same in a position corresponding to that of said bar E. Upon each side of the slot 0 the upper face of the draw-head is channeled so as to form ways or bearings G for the cross or supporting bars E and F, which ways, from front to rear, are formed bya series of reverse curves, which produce three concavities, g, g, and g, that are separated by curved elevations, as shown, the distance between the adjacent concavities being just equal to the distance between said bars E and F. Within the central portion of the coupling-pin D is provided an opening, D, which has the general form of a triangle constructed from reverse curves, its corners being round and convex, and its sides somewhat concave. The rela tive positions of the opening D and the coupling-pin are such as to bring the rear side of the former nearly parallel to the corresponding side of the latter when said pin occupies the position within the draw-head shown in Figs. 2 and 4. A pin, H, passing horizontally through the draw-head A, and through the upper rear side of said opening D, completes the device, the operation of which is as follows: In its normal position, the coupling-pin is suspended by means of the bars E and F, which rest, respectively, within the concavities g and g, and, by means of the pin H, against or upon which the rear upper side of the opening D bears-the shoulder 01 and upper vertical portion of said pin resting against thefront end of the slot D, while the angular lip or projection d extends forward into the mouth B. If, now, the link I be pressed into the draw-head, its end, striking against the inclined side of the projection d, will swing the lower end of the coupling-pin rearward and upward, until the end of said link has passed beyond said pin, which, being released, will drop to place again; during which operation the cross-bar E serves as a pivotal bearin g upon which said pin swings. Upon being drawn forward, the link engages with the vertical portion of the rear side of the coupling-pin, and, as the front side of the latter is firmly supported above and below the line of draft, it will be seen that nothing less than the breakage of said coupling-pin or the drawhead can accidentally release said link. To remove the link, the coupling-pin is raised vertically upward until its lower end is withdrawn from the same; but if it is desired to release the link, so that when the cars are moved apart it shall be free to withdraw, said pin is turned upward and rearward until the cross-bar F rests within the rear concavities g, and the front side of said pin is supported by the pin H, as seen in Fig. 3. If the link is now drawn forward it raises and passes beneath the lower disengaged end of the coupling-pin, and the latter then falls back to place, during which operation the cross-bar F serves as a pivotal bearing for said pin. Upon the introduction of the link, when the coupling-pin is tilted rearward, said pin swings upon the pin H until its upper end passes forward of the center, and, at the same instant, said link has passed beneath its lower end, when said pin drops downward and forward to its normal position.

It will be seen that during the operations described, the cross-bars E and F and the pin H have alternately performed for the couplingpin the office of a pivotal bearing, while, in addition thereto, said pin acts as a lock to prevent the withdrawal or displacement of said coupling-pin.

The advantage obtained by this construction over that shown in the Leaman device, is that, when tilted rearward, after uncoupling, a link cannot be introduced without throwing the upper end of the coupling-pin downward and forward, so as to insure engagement with said link-the reason for which is that the link strikes said pin in front, and

the fulcrunrpin H, upon which said coupling pin turns, is contained within one corner of the opening D, the front side of which slopes downward and rearward,'so that said pin H must be broken off before said coupling-pin can be raised vertically; while in the Leaman device the link strikes the coupling-pin upon the lower side, and the pivotal pin bears against the vertical side of the opening in the same, so that when the impinging and bearing surfaces become smooth from use the coupling-pin will be raised vertically until the link passes, after which it will drop to the same position once more, instead of falling forward and locking said link in place.

A ring, K, is pivoted within the upper end of the coupling-pin, immediately in rear of the cross-bar E, and furnishes a convenient means for raising said pin. Said ring is prevented from dropping forward by means of said bar E, while it is in a like manner sup ported at its rear by two lugs, k, which extend horizontally outward from opposite sides of said coupling-pin.

The device thus constructed may be formed almost entirely of or from cast metal; is strong and durable; not liable to derangement; and is handled with greater ease and with less danger to the operator than those usually employed.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, what I claim as new The coupling-pin D, constructed as shown, and provided with a central opening, D, which has the general formvof a triangle with round corners and concave sides,in combination with the drawhead A, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of February, 1873.

. ADAM FRITZ.

Witnesses JACOB SNYDER, JAS. U. YOUNG. 

